Title: What Caused World War I?

Genre: Historical Expository Essay

Goal: This week, students will continue their study of the World War I by writing a thesis paper on the cause of the war, including introduction, three body paragraphs, and a conclusion.

The ability to masterfully write a thesis paper prepares students for high school and beyond. The thesis paper is the bone and sinews of academic instruction in the humanities, and it also models logical thinking, improving students’ ability to think critically.

Furthermore, while everyone can agree about the events that led to the start of World War I, coming to an agreement on its cause is a different matter entirely, giving students recourse for much historical investigation.

In this essay, students will also practice using transitional words, such as therefore, although, and so forth. Transitions are key to fluent writing, and mastery of the expository form. A hand out is provided to aid students in this task.

Description: Students will write an entire thesis paper, including introduction, three body paragraphs, a conclusion, using transition words, on the cause of World War I.

In-class, read the following

This week, you will continue your study of World War I and the expository essay as a form by writing a thesis paper. This paper must exactly follow the format of the genre, use transitional words, and answer the question, “What caused World War I?” Remember, a cause is different than asking what triggered World War I. If you were to say, “The assassination of Franz Ferdinand,” I would ask, “Why?” It is that why you must answer in your essay.

To prove the point, here is a delightful video on some basic theories about the causes of World War I:

To help create a theory of a cause, you should use your notes and the articles I have pulled up on KidsDiscover.

Remember, the thesis paper is the form you will write the most over the next eight years in high school and college, so it’s important to become adroit at the genre.

To remind you, a thesis paper is a five paragraph paper consisting of an introduction, three body paragraphs, and a conclusion. To refresh your memory of the exact pattern of the form, please turn to the Thesis Paper Review sheet.

To help you in your research, I have chosen a number of resources from EBSCO and the internet to give you a place to start. You will now have twenty minutes to create a thesis, and complete one argument, evidence, and reasoning on the Body Paragraphs Graphic Organizer.

[Students work, and teacher circulates to help.]

Now, show a partner your graphic organizer. Partners, you are looking to see whether or not the logic of the arguments makes sense, whether or not the evidence proves the argument, and if the reasoning suitably explains the evidence. Remember, you can take ideas from other students, but you can’t copy them word for word. When you each believe the other’s graphic organizer is logical and well-thought out, call me over to check your graphic organizers.

[Students work.]

Your graphic organizer is due tomorrow, at 7:45 AM. Once I have okayed your graphic organizer, you may begin work on your first draft.

When that is finished, read it aloud to a peer, and complete the checklists as always.

Your final draft is due Thursday at 7:45 AM.

Have a nice day!

Writer Self-Evaluation Checklists

To make your writing the best it can possibly be, you must complete the following checklists after writing your rough draft, but before giving your work to a peer reader and writing your final draft.

THESE CHECKLISTS ARE PASS/FAIL. ONE MISSING ELEMENT WILL RESULT IN A ZERO.

Format Checklist

Double-spaced

In 12-point, Times New Roman font

I restated my thesis at the beginning and end of every body paragraph, at the end of the introduction, and beginning of my conclusion

My body paragraphs follow this pattern:

  • Restatement of thesis
  • Argument supporting thesis
  • Evidence proving argument
  • Reasoning explaining evidence, and how it proves your argument
  • Restatement of thesis

My Proofreading

There are no spelling errors.

I used capital letters at the beginning of sentences, for proper nouns, for names, cities, countries

I used end punctuation.

I checked tenses, and do not use future and past tense in the same sentence.

A transition is used in every paragraph

My Introduction

Introduced my topic

Created interest in the reader

Provided necessary background information

Identified my main idea

Previewed the rest of my essay

My Conclusion

Restated the main idea of the essay

Summarized the essay

Left the reader with an interesting final impression

My Signature: ______

Peer Listener and Reader Evaluation Checklist

After revising your own work with the above checklist, you will print out a copy and read it to a peer. Your peer will then evaluate your work with the following checklist.

A transition is used in each paragraph

There are no spelling errors

The writer uses capital letters at the beginning of sentences, for proper nouns, for names, cities, countries

All punctuation is used correctly

I checked tenses so that the writer does not use future and past tense in the same sentence

The Introduction:

Introduced the topic

Created interest in the reader

Provided necessary background information

Identified the main idea

Previewed the rest of the essay

Three Body Paragraphs:

Restatement of thesis

Argument supporting thesis

Evidence proving argument

Reasoning explaining evidence, and how it proves your argument

Restatement of thesis

Conclusion:

Restated the main idea of the essay

Summarized the essay

Left the reader with an interesting final impression

Peer Reader Signature: ______

Thesis Paper Body Paragraphs Graphic Organizer

You will use this graphic organizer to outline body paragraphs for your thesis paper.

  1. Thesis: Write your thesis below.
  1. Arguments: First, you will create three arguments to support your thesis. Remember, an argument is like a “little thesis.” It supports your thesis like a leg supports a table. An example argument would be: “Music effects different people differently.”

Create three arguments to support your thesis.

1.
2.
3.
  1. Evidence: Evidence proves your argument is correct. Evidence is best when it is from research, or is something a person witnessed directly. Using the resources provided, find evidence to support your arguments. If you can’t find a strong piece of evidence, perhaps you should change your argument. Search the text to find three pieces of evidence to support your arguments.

1.
2.
3.
  1. Reasoning: Remember, reasoning is your chance to explain things to your reader. You should explain your evidence, and then how your evidence links to your thesis. Your reasoning may be the longest section of the paragraph. Remember, don’t leave your reader confused!

1.
2.
3.

Thesis Paper Review

What follows is the exact requirements of every part of your thesis paper. This must be followed exactly, as high school English teachers will often grade students simply on obedience, and you need to be prepared for that. Remember, a thesis paper is always written in the third person!

Introduction

Your introduction should:

  • Introduce your topic
  • Create interest
  • Provide necessary background information
  • Identify your main idea
  • Preview the rest of your essay
  • End with your thesis sentence.

Body Paragraphs

There are three body paragraphs in a thesis paper. Each body paragraph must contain, in the following order:

  1. Restatement of thesis
  2. Argument supporting thesis
  3. Evidence proving argument
  4. Reasoning explaining evidence, and how it proves your argument
  5. Restatement of thesis

Conclusion

Your conclusion should:

  • Restate your thesis statement
  • Summarize the essay
  • Leave the reader with an interesting final impression

Resources for World War I Thesis Paper

Online Resources

A debate on the topic:

Prep materials for the debate:

10 theories on who started the war:

Causes of the war from the Canadian point of view:

A review of how the war started:

EBSCO Resources

A theory that Balkan diplomacy was the cause of the war:

Comparison between our time and pre-World War I:

American ideas about why the war was fought:

A look at causes 100 years after the war’s start:

Theories of the cause:

Encyclopedia entry on the war: